Can opener



Aug. 30, 1927;

A. M. s. SCHANNING CAN OPENER Filed Feb: 16, 1924 Patented Au 30, 1921. v

UNITED STATES-- v 1, 41,054 PATENT OFFICE,"

ANTON m'arm cmmm sonannmc, or cnmsrmmn, noawav'.

CAN OPENER.

Application filed February 18, 1924, Serial No. 698,265, and in Norway November 17, 1923.

The present invention consists of improve ments in and relating to can openers in the form of tongs, the under jaw of which during its operation abuts against the under 6 side of the seam of the can whilst the upper jaw is formed as or carries a knife or cutter and the invention especially consists in arrangements for securing an accurate guidance of the opener when in use so that it can be easily and safely operated by a weak and untrained hand.

,According to the invention this is obtainedpartly by providing the under jaw of the tongs with a claw, hook or the like which grips around the vertical part of the seam and thereby secures the abutment of the jaw against the under side of the seam, and

partly by the arrangement that the under aw is split into two or more parts which abut against the seam respectively outside of the can at some distance fromeach other in the horizontal direction, whereby the opener is being guided in a position normal or'nearly normal to the axis of the can while being moved along the seam. The invention further consists in the arrangement that the cutter has its movement between the parts of the under jaw, whereb every tendency of the tongs to take an inclined position during the cutting operation is eliminated.

. In order to facilitate the cutting work it is advisable after the first perforation ofthe can cover having been made to limit the opening movement of the tongs so as to pre- 5 vent the cutter from slipping out of the cut, whereby'a continual cut round the can is secured and a renewed-cutting through the tin rendered unnecessary.

The arrangement for limiting the opening angle may be made in the form of an elastic rod securedto one of the levers of the tongs and provided with a catch which on the closing of the tongs snaps over a projection or the like on the other lever in the way that the tongs may be freely closed whilst the catch limits its opening movement as desired. 7 The invention is illustrated by the way ofan example in the attached drawings, where r Fig. 1 is a side view, and j a Fig. 2 a plan-view of the o ener.

In the exam le illustrated in the drawing the under aw of the tongs is split in two parts 1, 1'; each of which is provided with an opening 2which slips round the seam 3 of the can whereby the lower parts 4 abut against the-under side of the seam and the clawor hook-formed parts 5 grip over the vertical part of seam and secure the abutment of the tongs under same.

6 1s the upper jaw of the tongs provided with a cutter 7 which in the example shown 1n the drawing is formed by bending down of the jaw, After each cutting operation the tongs is again opened by means of the 455 spring 8.

The limiting of the opening movement of the tongs is in the example shown effected by means of the elastic rod9 which is provided with a catch 10 and carried throu h the opening 12 in the, other lever of t e tongs. The spring action presses the rod against the edge 11 so that the catch, when the tongs is closed snaps over the edge and this limits the opening movement. If a larger opening angle of the tongs is desired the catch can be brought out of engagement with the ed e 11 by a pressure on the upper part 13 of t e rod.

.Modifications and changes may be made in the constructions within the scope of the invention, which is not limited to the form as shown in the drawin Having now, particu arly described and ascertained the nature of my said invention, and in what manner the same is'to be performed I declare that what I claim is:

1. In a can opener, a pair of tongs having jaws adapted to be arranged radially to a can, one jaw being bifurcated, each fur- 9o cation terminating in a part adapted to abut the under side of the seam of a can and a hook adapted to grip around the vertical part of theseam,.the second jaw having a depending cutter portion adapted to oper ate between said furcations.

2. In a can opener, a pair of tongs, one jaw thereof being forked and terminating in a part adapted to abut under the under side of the seam of a can, a hook thereon adapted to grip around the vertical part of, the scam, the other jaw bein bent downward and provided with a cuttmg edge adapted to operate between the ends of the forked jaw, and means to limit the opening of the jaws while the device is in position on the -can to prevent displacement of the jaws in respect to the can.

3. In a can opener, a pa1rof tongs, one

jaw thereof being bifurcated, each furcation terminatin in a part adapted to abut unspring secured to one lever, a catch projecder the under side of the seam of a can and hen thereon to ip the other lever and a hook adapted to ip around the vertical adapted to limit t e opening of the jaws. 10 part of the seam, t e other jaw being bent In testimony whereof I- have signed my 5 downward and provided with a cutting ed e name to this specification.

adapted to operate between the ends of tfie furcations, a spring to open the jaws and a ANTON MARTIN SCHWHGKRD SCHLNNIN G. 

